Why Becoming Your Own Boss Is The Ultimate Lifestyle Move

We’re always told that there’re two certainties in life: death and taxes. There’s nothing in there about having to stay chained to a desk in some dingy office. So stop staring out the window and make a change: ditch the office and become your own boss.

The team at Uber know a thing or two about helping people escape the daily rat race and live on their own terms. We recently chatted with Wencel Rodriguez, a motivated driver-partner from New York who signed up to drive with Uber, only to make incredibly positive changes to his lifestyle.

Driving with Uber, his income has seen a considerable bump, enabling him to snag a shiny new BMW 1200 GS motorcycle and take his daughter on a trip back to Colombia. Not a bad deal, right?

Rodriguez had no intention of splurging on a sweet new ride or visiting his home country of Colombia for some R&R, but he raked some serious cash driving with Uber, so he could afford to do things from both a time (the ultimate luxury) and money standpoint that he couldn't do at most other gigs.

Ultimately, though, for Rodriquez and other self-starters, entrepreneurs, and those that work on their own time and on their own terms, it's not just about fun toys and trips with loved ones, it's about freedom. Rodriguez had been a professional driver for 23 years, driving limos and black cars for a variety of companies, but was only able to take a weekend off once every two months. If he was lucky? Once a month. That's not the kind of grind that breeds happiness.

Then, three years ago, he partnered with Uber, and took the steps to drastically improve his life by being his own boss and there’s no reason you shouldn’t follow suit. It’s so easy to find the cons of droning in an office everyday, but imagine if you could escape all that. Let’s take a look at the top reasons to be your own boss.....

1.) GET IN SHAPE

When you’re away from the office and working on your own schedule, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be hitting the gym or going for a swim at least a few times a week. It’s your schedule: carve out an hour every day to devote to getting healthy. You’ll work off that gross desk flab in no time.

“Uber is the kind of work that gives you freedom. Now I work Monday through Friday and then dedicate time to my family on the weekends. I like to run, I try to do that as much as I can. I also play soccer — that’s something I never was able to do before because the job didn’t allow me to.”

2.) INVEST TIME IN NEW HOBBIES

Life is too short not to learn how to do all those things you’ve always dreamed of. Want to learn how to play guitar? You rule the calendar now. Tuesday boating trip with friends? You're available. While everyone else is stuck at work, you’ll be getting better at the things that make you happy. If you really want to show your friends how much better it is outside of the cubicle: hit the driving range a few afternoons a week. You’ll be whooping their butts all over the links come Saturday.

“I wasn’t planning to buy a motorcycle...I checked out my economic situation with Uber and it was great, so I decided to go for it.”

3.) GOODBYE ANXIETY

Sure, life is never without the usual pressures, but when you’re not constantly concerned about your performance and what everyone else thinks of it: everything becomes a whole lot easier. In the world of being your own boss, the only person letting you fail is you. You can’t make rent? That’s only because you didn’t work as hard as you should have. There’s an innate exhilaration that comes from being in complete control of your fate. The only person who can fire you is you. Rumor is: the severance package isn’t great.

"I have been making more money than I ever did before. Our financial situation is much better. Now it’s much easier to pay bills, it’s way more relaxing...I couldn’t have imagined in my wildest dreams.”

4.) UNLIMITED VACATION DAYS

You haven’t visited a tropical island yet? Well, there’s no time like the present. Life is full of making excuses, and one of the most common tends to be “I can’t get the time off of work.” There’s just so much more to living than sacrificing experience for obligation. When you’re your own boss, the possibilities are nearly endless. Put in those extra hours and effort for as long as it takes, and then take off on that well deserved trip to your dream destination without worrying if your boss will grant you his almighty permission.

“The project I have is to jump on the bike and go to Colombia. This would be the first time my daughter and I been able to go together since she can remember, now that she’s grown up. We won’t go for less than a month.”

5.) DO WHAT YOU WANT, WHEN YOU WANT

Need to pick up dry cleaning or run to the bank? Zero problem. Desperately need to go grocery shopping? Swap the wasteful water cooler discussion for something that's actually productive. There's nothing like checking items off your to-do list on your own terms, rather than trying to squeeze the duties of adulthood between slight pauses in your 9-5.

“Uber really changed everything. I have no boss. I’m my own boss. There’s a big difference in income."